This invention relates in general to electrical connector assemblies and deals more particularly with an improved sealed connector assembly for terminating a coaxial cable.
The connector assembly of the present invention is particularly adapated for use in hostile environments where it may be exposed to water, oil, moisture, dust, or other contaminants which adversely affect the integrity of cable termination. The present connector assembly is particularly suitable for use with a piezo-electric transducer which comprises part of a shock pulse measuring instrument system for bearing condition monitoring in an industrial plant environment. In such a system the transducer may be and often is connected directly to the housing of a bearing or to a machine to be monitored and sends signals through an associated coaxial cable to remote instrumentation. The efficient functioning of such a system is often dependent upon the integrity of the coaxial cable termination at the transducer which may be exposed to extremely harsh environmental conditions in the immediate vicinity of a bearing or machine being monitored.
Accordingly, it is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved sealed electrical connector assembly for terminating a coaxial cable and which assembly is virtually impervious to dust, moisture, chemicals, and other contaminants likely to adversely affect cable termination.